Fare-register.



W. L. LIGHTFORD. FARE REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.2.19,06.

W/ fix/5555s.'

THE zvaams PETERS co., wAsHlNsraN, n. c.

PATENTED JAN. 29, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JAN. 29, 1907.

W. L. LIGHTFRD. FARE REGISTER.

APPLoATIoN FILED 12mm. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSE'S.

ma Nom-us PErERs co., wAsmNcwN, D, c.

UNITED A STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. LIGI-ITFORD, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN O, SLOAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FARE-REGISTER.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 29, 1907.

Application iled February 2, 1906. Serial No. 299.123.

To @ZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, IFILLIAM L. LIGHT- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county oi Marion and State ot Indiana, have invented certain new and use'l'ul Improvements in Fare-Registers, ci which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined tare collector and register; and the object of the invention is to provide a means l'or collecting cash-fares and 'tickets 'from passengers on common carriers, and particularly on traction-lines, the same being presented by the conductor to each passenger for their fares, thus relieving the conductor from handling the 'fares and also mechanically counting same.

The object consists, further, in providing a fare-register having means to prevent the coin from being licloniously removed through the same passage-way through which the coin enters the receptacle by the custodian of the register.

I accomplish the objects o'l my invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the tare-register on the dotted line A A in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on. the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is view similar to F 1, except that the mechanism is shown in its shifted position. Fig. A is a vertical transverse sectional view on the dotted line 4 4L in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a hori- Zontal sectional view on the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a top or plan view ot' the register.

In the drawings, 1 represents the body of the fare-register, which forms a receptacle for the mechanism and 'for the tares. The fare-receiving chute leading into the receptacle and the registering mechanism are mounted in a trame that is independent from the body 1. This frame consists ot the top 2, end wall 3, and the horizontal partition 4, which when the said. irame is in normal position separates the vfare-receiving receptacle or chamber 5 trom upper chamber 6, that contains the mechanism of vthe register.

The Jfare-register is provided with a coinchute 10, that leads into the coin-receiving chamber 5. The register has a mouthpiece secured to the top 2, into which the passenger deposits his fare. This mouthpiece communicates with the upper end of the coinchute 10. top, as is shown, and is provided with sides which are composed of transparent material 11 in order that the character of the fare deposited may be seen by both the conductor` and the passenger. It may be here stated that with this design oi' a mouthpiece improper amounts of fares inadvertently placed therein may be removed and changed before it is permitted to pass into the coin-chute 10.

The passage of the fares through the coinchute 10 is controlled by means ot an upper slide 12 and a lower slide 13. The upper slide is lnovably mounted on the under side of the top 2 (sec Fig. 5) and in normal position closes the inlet to the chute 10. This arrangement ot the slide supports the coin or ticket deposited into the mouthpiece before the same is permitted into the chute 10. The slide 13 is movably mounted on the horizontal partition-wall 4t and normally stands removed from the chute 10, thus leaving the latter irec and unobstructed. The slides 12 and 13 are moved in opposite directions by means oi the lever 16, which is pivotally mounted at 17 to the standard. 18, secured to the to p 2. The ends of the lever 16 engage pockets 19 and 20, formed in the slides 12 and 13.

It will be seen that the pocket 19 is considerably wider than the end of the lever 16, so that the latter must Iirst travel the width of said pocket before moving the slide 12. By this construction the movement of the slide 12 is less than that of the slide 13, so that the latter will close the coin-chute 10 before the slide 12 opens the upper end. Thus at no time will the coinchute be free and unobstructed, so that the backwardy 10, a signal is sounded, announcing both a. perfect operation ot the mechanism and a depositing of a fare. To accomplish this annunciation, I provide the bell 26, 'which is The mouthpiece widens at the suitably mounted within the upper chamber 5. A bell-tapping lever 27, provided 'with a ball 28, is pivotallymounted on the standard 29 and in relation to the bell 26, so that when said lever is operated the bell will be sounded. The actuation of the bell-tapping lever 27 is accomplished by means of a sliding bar 3U, which is pivotally secured to the leverI 16. The sliding bar 30 is provided with the shoulders 3l and 32, between which the lower end of the bell-tapping lever operates. When the sliding bar 30 is moved forward toward the bell 26 through the operation of the lever 16 and vertical sliding bar 23, the shoulder 3l engages the right-angle hook 3a on the lower end of the bell-tapping lever 27 and carries it forward. The upper end of the lever 27 above the pivot-point is necessarily moved away from the bell 26 to assume a striking position. lith the forward movement of the sliding bar 30 the latter is raised to release the hook 34 on the end of the bell-tapping lever 27 in order that the latter may strike the bell 26. The upward movement of the sliding bar 30 is affected by means of the inclined face 36, that leads up to the shoulder 32. The forward end of the sliding bar engages and operates in a slot in the standard 29, and as the bar is moved forward the inclined face 36 engages the lower end of the slot. The inclination of the face 36 is such that the belltapping lever will be moved into striking position before the shoulder 3l is released from the hook 34.

l/Vhen the sliding bar 23 is depressed, which permits the fare to pass from the mouthpiece into the coin-chute l0, a counter for keeping a record of the fares is actuated. This is accomplished by providing a suitable counter 40, which is secured to the top 2, as shown, which is provided with an inspectionaperture 4l, (see Fig. 7,) through which the totals may be read.- The counter is actuated at each depression of the sliding bar 23 by means of the levers 44 and 45, the latter being allected by a horizontal pin 46, rigidly mounted on the sliding bar 23. The lever 45 is pivoted near that end from which it is actuated, so that one end will have considerably more movement than the other. By so mounting the lever a slight depression on the sliding bar 23 will cause the counter to add a fare, which will stand charged against the conductor whether said fare is subsequently permitted to pass into the register or not before any of the remaining mechanism is affected. The different positions assumed by the several parts when the sliding bar 23 is in normal and depressed position are clearly shown in Figs. l and 3.

' Vhile it is of great importance to provide a device that will insure a safe and accurate method for the collection and registration of fares, it is equally as important to provide a device which will frustrate all attempts to rob or "tap the device of the fares that have been deposited. by any person authorized for its custodianship and for the collection. ol fares. The method employed during the past by unscrupulous persons for removing coin from this class of registers was to invert them. This position of the registerl would cause the coin in. the receptacle to drop into the discharge end of the coin-chute, and. by passing the register through certain manipulations ascertain through repeated. trials the coin would be ingeniously removed through the same passage-way through which the coin is introduced.

While the counter in my register in a large measure removes the possibility ol.t feloniously extracting coin from the register by disclosing the discrepancy of act ual cash in the register and the total shown on the counter, I provide other means which further preclude the possibility of tapping the register. These means consist, lirst, in providing a plurality of lingers 50, which. are pivotally arranged on the parallel rods 5l, one of which is mounted on each side of the discharge end of the coinchute il). The lingers 5() are staggered with relation to the 'lingers on the adjacent rod, so that when the register is inverted the said lingers will lap each other ihey fall across and close the opening in the coin-chute l0. VVvvhile these lingers usually drop across the opening, they have been known to fail. when the register is laid on its side and thence slowly turn into an inverted position. This manipulation of the register would cause some of the coin. to drop between the o pen lingers, alter which they were slowly moved through the coin-chute l0. In my present device, however, lf have gone farther by providing wings 55, which are pivotally mounted within the coin-chute 10. These wings are pivotally mounted in the upper' and narrow sides of the chute and have movement in a direction opposite that of the lingers 50, so that should the register be tilted in a direction parallel with the greatest width of the coin-chute the wings would drop to the lower side, and thus remove all possibility of coin passing backward out through the coin-chute 10. The coin can legitimately be removed from the receptacle through the door 59 by means of a proper key for the lock 60. The register is also provided with a suitable handle 65, so that it can convenient-ly be carried in the hand.

l claim- 1. A fare-register consisting of a coin-receptacle, a coin-chute leading from the eX- terior of said register to the coin-receptacle, slides susceptible to alternate movement transversely of said chute, and means for moving said slides so that the lower end of the chute will be closed before the upper end is opened.

2. A fare-register consisting of a coin-reeager/5 ceptaele, a coin-chute leading from tlie exterior of said register to tlie coin-receptacle. slides, and means for alternately moving said slides across tlie ends of tlie elinie Le constantly keep the latter obstructed.

3. A fare-register consisting of a coin-reH eeptaele, a coin-chute leading lrom ille ei;- terior el tlie registerl to the coin-receptacle, means for determining the admission of the eoin into tlie coin-chute, means lor deterY mining tlie admission oi tlie coin lrom said chute to tlie coin-receptacle, and means ier counting said coin in advance of sueli ad mission.

4. A 'fare-register consisting of a coin-receptacle, a eoin-cliue leading lirein ille exterior to tlie eoiii-reeepiacle, slides suseeptible to movement transversely el" said elm;V e, means for unevenly moving said slides across 'tlie opening ol" said clnie, a eounper, said counter being actuated by tlie slideactuating means, a signal device7 means l'oi actuating said signal device, and means ro restore tlieparts to normal.

5. A fare-register consisting ol a eoinreeeptaele, a eoin-eliute leading lrem ilie eX- terior to tlie coinreeeptacle, slides susceptible to movement transversely of said elmie, means for alternately actuating said slides ol" eaeli other, and safety means mounted. wirliin tlie coin-chute and adapred to close die latter by gravitation Wlien tlie register is tilted at riglit angle to 'tlie movement ol said slides.

6. A fare-register consisting ol.t a coin-receptacle, a coin-chute leading lirom line exterior to the coin-receptacle, slides susceptible to movement transversely of said eluite, means Vfor aliernately actuating said slides of eaeli oiylier, a salety means pivotally mounted wiiliin llie coin-chute, and adapted to close tlie latter Wlien iilie register is tilted at iigli'gr angle te tlie movement of said slides, and sal'ety means pivotally arranged on botli sides oi ne discharge end of 'tlie coin-chute, and adapred ro close the latter Wnen tlie regisier is inverted.

7. A 'liare-register consisting of a eoin-reeepsaele, a coni-clinic leading Vfrom tlie eX- erior Yto tlie coin-receptacle, a slide at tlie eniranee lo said eliule lor temporarily suppe ing @lie liare, a safety-slide at tlie disarge end of said eliule, a vertical lever eng :4 rg both slides, a sliding bar engaging said vertical lever 'lor actuating botli slides, a

eeunier, means on tlie counter to be engaged and operzned by said sliding bar, a bell, a bell-lia1nmer lever provided Witli a lioolha .liorizeinal lever pivorally attached se the verrieal lever and riding on tlie bell-hammer lever, a slioulder formed on tlie horizontal lever to engage said liook and operate said bell-hammer lever, an inclined Vface on said bell-hammer lever, and a guide lfor said liori- Zontal lever vfliicli engages tlie inclined face, to disconnect said lever Vfrom the bellhammer lever.

ln Witness Wliereol l liave hereunto set my liand and seal, a; indianapolis, Indiana. tliis 26th day of January, A. D. 1906.

WVM L. L'lGli'lFORD. Viisnesses:

l?. lV. lonnNiin, L. HnLiiU'rii.

[in s] 

